*** Official Alloa Athletic v Heart of Midlothian thread ***

[Pasquale for King]

10 minutes ago, Riccarton3 said:

League leaders. Nothing to report, though. 

Exactly. 

[lost in space]

9 minutes ago, Billy Hoyle said:

The thing is why sign guys like Frear and Roberts when Moore for example is just as good if not better as a player than them. 
It makes no sense. Robbie started Roberts up front today FFS when we would have looked better with a 16year old youth striker up front. 
My point is why sign average players when we have average young players to fill out the squad. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Neilson signed these half hearted players so has to give them a chance when obvious they are useless.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

5 minutes ago, Billy Hoyle said:

The thing is why sign guys like Frear and Roberts when Moore for example is just as good if not better as a player than them. 
It makes no sense. Robbie started Roberts up front today FFS when we would have looked better with a 16year old youth striker up front. 
My point is why sign average players when we have average young players to fill out the squad. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Yeah,  must admit not sure about that. Moore has had a hard couple of years personally, I'm guessing,  maybe stuff we don't know about,  or maybe just sticking to seasoned pros. 

 

I don't rate Roberts at all,  Frear was not a bad sub for Motherwell, impact player late in a game.

 

Don't think Henderson has taken any opportunity he has been given and it looks like Irving has won him over. 

 

I suppose you have to put yourself in his shoes,  who do you trust to get you back up and to be fair to Neilson,  he knows this League probably better than anyone else at the moment 

[Bongo 1874]

27 minutes ago, Byyy The Light said:

You’re a complete bam 😂

Yeah I'm a complete bam because people sit and criticise all Stendel's supposed faults, yet when you bring up Robbie's it's a crime 😂😂all I've presented is facts he said Stendel got schooled by Tommy Wright, does he know the meaning of schooled? If Stendel got schooled his two games against St Johnstone he got beat 1-0 at home, and 3-3 away from home? How is that being schooled? Robbie got his arse handed to him by the same guy 3-0 at Home!!! But you must be another one that doesn't like facts, hence why the other two chuckle brothers haven't replied back to me 😁. 

 

Which i take great pleasure in because in their own argument they made, they have only gone and made a complete James hunt of themselves, Stendel got schooled by Tommy Wright 😂 so if you class that getting schooled, what did Robbie get infact you don't need to tell me 

 

[William H. Bonney]

Voice is too deep to be locky. 

[Thomaso]

2 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

It won’t let me read the link, nothing on BBC. 

There’s a match report on the BBC web page for the QoS game - nothing for the run away league leaders game!! WTF is all that about!!

[jambo mark]

Do people seriously think we should be knocking it about like Barcelona? Have we all forgot how bad and broken we were last season? How bad our squad was last year?

 

We’re in the championship with a short season - we weren’t able to compete with Hibs/Aberdeen for players in the close season - we had to take risks with educated gambles and shift out deadwood. This is a 3-4 window project to get the squad where we need to be. 

 

Robbie is playing with the hand he’s been dealt, and being pragmatic in making sure we are top flight next year. I don’t care if we get there in style, as long as we get there. There is time for building style and panache next year. From listening to SATF podcast, he wants to play 4-4-2 with a ball winner, ball player,  pacey wide men, a target man, finisher - exactly the teams we’ve always been best with. He gets it/us. He needs time and support. 
 

The way I saw today was Robbie saying to his second string front six (minus Irving) “this is the bottom of the league team, go out and show me your capable of being in my team” - honest answer is I don’t think any were. Couple of backups in Halliday and Walker at best.

Edited January 16, 2021 by jambo mark

[StevenNaismith]

1 hour ago, DETTY29 said:

It's taken me weeks to cotton on why Berra takes the throw ins, despite him having the throwing technique of a primary school kid, instead of Kingsley.

 

It's to make sure that if no movement in front and the ball is given to the left sided CH, it isn't CB.

 

So obvious.

 

Doh.

 

 

 

 

He’s taking the throw ins because Kingsley has a stomach muscle issue at the moment which is aggravated when he puts his arms above his head.

 

The shout at the end was from GF 

[karipidis]

Mad how this weird fascination some have with Stendel ruins every match day thread. 

[Tommy Brown]

Mods

Can we start deleting Stendel posts from match threads.

Its getting bloody ridiculous.

[Pasquale for King]

9 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

There’s a match report on the BBC web page for the QoS game - nothing for the run away league leaders game!! WTF is all that about!!

It’s an absolute joke. 
Still can’t get into the clubs page to hear what Neilson though of the game either.

[Pasquale for King]

2 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

Mods

Can we start deleting Stendel posts from match threads.

Its getting bloody ridiculous.

It wasn’t Bongo that started it today to be fair. 

[Tommy Brown]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

It wasn’t Bongo that started it today to be fair. 

Keeps it going, though

I got banned from Ayr thread for losing the plot about it.

 

I was a big Stendel fan btw

[Pasquale for King]

7 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

Keeps it going, though

I got banned from Ayr thread for losing the plot about it.

 

I was a big Stendel fan btw

So was I but my heart sank when I saw someone mention him today for no good reason 🙈. 

[davemclaren]

Well, had a few glasses of wine tonight. Feels good to be top and 7 points clear, doesn’t it? 

[japanjambo]

1 minute ago, davemclaren said:

Well, had a few glasses of wine tonight. Feels good to be top and 7 points clear, doesn’t it? 

[Guest ToqueJambo]

2 hours ago, lost in space said:

I loved the Championship the last time. I was in hospitality when we won 10-0. We were at table 10 and to this day we all slag each other off for not betting on 10-0😄.

It all went wrong when we got back to Prem. RN then thought he was a tactician. He started to manage like CL. We went through the "possession without penetration" games which were shocking. RN got the message and left when he got the chance.

"What will it take for me to realise that he (RN) could be a good fit ?" -

It would take evidence that he knows good players (not Roberts/ Frear/Popescu)

It would take evidence that he can motivate - NO evidence so far

it would take evidence that he would take responsibility for his mistakes - NO evidence so far

It would take evidence of a positive attitude - NO evidence so far

It would take ANY evidence that he has any tactical knowledge. 

 

 

I think we'd all take it going "wrong" again if we get to 3rd then 2nd, still scoring plenty goals.

 

The most ridiculous of your points is the motivation one. Where's the proof? Even at D Utd and MK Dons where he did just an OK job, both times he took over teams in trouble and immediately got them playing better and picking up points. He did the same with us in 14/15, 15/16 and 16/17, and this season. Each season we started very well. That suggests he prepares properly and gets new players playing for him and the team quickly.

 

Mind you, complaining about no positive attitude after he played 4-3-3 away is a corker as well. As is cherry picking two poor signings and ignoring the many good ones. You're clearly saving up for another plane and can't wait to get it in the air. 

Edited January 16, 2021 by ToqueJambo

[1971fozzy]

16 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Well, had a few glasses of wine tonight. Feels good to be top and 7 points clear, doesn’t it? 

It does indeed. It does indeed 

[hmfcbilly]

4 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Yeah it was a nightmare, I eventually got in on the one Nano shared. Strange it wasn’t on hesgoal. 

I turned off my vpn and took my chances. Had to shut down ads a couple of times but managed to follow ok after that. The lengths we go to to watch a horrendous stream of live football eh!!

[Guest ToqueJambo]

2 hours ago, lost in space said:

Yes - he did have confidence in the players that he picked.  Why then take off Roberts (who he  must have had confidence in) at HT?  The "heavy schedule" is rubbish - we dont play till next Saturday.  I understand about the pitch and niggling injuries.

He got "away with it" - good, we need the 3 points. 

 

Can I ask - were you happy when you saw starting line-up?

Are you happy with the way we play the game?

Do you blindly follow RN?

Do you have no doubts about "oor Robbie"?

 

I am not being dis-respectful - I genuinely am interested in your answers.

 

Perhaps the plan was always to bring in GMS for Roberts and he switched at HT instead of later because Roberts was poor? aka good management.

 

To your questions:

 

- No because I always like us to play our best players, but with our injury record and with 3 important games in the space of 7 days coming up anyone with half a brain can understand the logic. I didn't for one second think we'd lose the game after seeing the team.

- Yes, we want to attack and we're scoring the most goals per game in Scotland right now. He even got 7 goals out of CW. Evidence of this attacking outlook is signing 4 wingers so far and looking for another striker. Personally I'd like him to think about the defence a bit more and sign a new CB. I also really like winning games!

- I think he's an excellent Hearts manager still at a very early stage of his career. Evidence is his record with Hearts. Personally I think he's a future Scotland manager due to his ability to build a team quickly and get them playing for him very quickly, plus his ability to pick up points consistently. He has a very long time to prove me right.

- I have no doubts that he'll get us promoted and will at least have us challenging for Europe the following season. He certainly won't have us pissing about in 6th or anywhere near relegation, aka progress.

Edited January 17, 2021 by ToqueJambo

[Pasquale for King]

6 minutes ago, hmfcbilly said:

I turned off my vpn and took my chances. Had to shut down ads a couple of times but managed to follow ok after that. The lengths we go to to watch a horrendous stream of live football eh!!

I know, I think my phone has Covid it kept popping up telling me about viruses 😆. 
I didn’t want to come out of it so left it on there through HT until FT. Not many away games left that we will have to suffer this for though thankfully. 

[Jim Panzee]

5 hours ago, Whatever said:

He’s justified in his team selection because we won.

 

We all thought it was strange but none of us are paid what Neilson is to manage Heart of Midlothian.

 

Had he started say Naismith/Boyce/Ginelly on that pitch today and 2 of the 3 got injured, ruling them out for the next 3 (very important) fixtures, there would be a tonne of criticism heading Neilsons way right about now.

 

He picked a team to win the match and we did.

Far too sensible a post for kickback.

[Kyle1874]

2 minutes ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

Perhaps the plan was always to bring in GMS for Roberts and he switched at HT instead of later because Roberts was poor? aka good management.

 

To your questions:

 

No but with 3 important games in the space of 7 days coming up anyone with half a brain can understand the logic

Yes, we want to attack and we're scoring the most goals per game in Scotland right now. He even got 7 goals out of CW. Evidence of this attacking outlook is signing 4 wingers so far and looking for another striker. Personally I'd like him to think about the defence a bit more and sign a new CB.

I think he's an excellent Hearts manager still at a very early stage of his career. Evidence is his record with Hearts. Personally I think he's a future Scotland manager due to his ability to build a team quickly and get them playing for him very quickly, plus his ability to pick up points consistently. He has a very long time to prove me right.

I have no doubts that he'll get us promoted and will at least have us challenging for Europe the following season. He certainly won't have us pissing about in 6th or anywhere near relegation, aka progress.

Just picking up on needing a CB I think we need 2 but only if they are for the premier I am happy to wait till next window a think CW will be away at the end of this season so we will be looking for another striker maybe 2 next season People forget how bad last season was now some of us are moaning about how we won it all I care about just now is 3 points 

[JamTarts98]

48 minutes ago, jambo mark said:

Do people seriously think we should be knocking it about like Barcelona? 

Can you post a link where anyone said anything like this?

[Jambo-Fox]

I just love reading Sunday papers when Hearts win, reading the match report, looking at the league tables, looking at the dramatic pictures, the player ratings, and the next matches!

 

Saturday nights are the best ever when Hearts win.....

[Pasquale for King]

11 minutes ago, Kyle1874 said:

Just picking up on needing a CB I think we need 2 but only if they are for the premier I am happy to wait till next window a think CW will be away at the end of this season so we will be looking for another striker maybe 2 next season People forget how bad last season was now some of us are moaning about how we won it all I care about just now is 3 points 

Definitely need two for going back up, get Popescu off the wage bill too. 

[Pasquale for King]

6 minutes ago, Jambo-Fox said:

I just love reading Sunday papers when Hearts win, reading the match report, looking at the league tables, looking at the dramatic pictures, the player ratings, and the next matches!

 

Saturday nights are the best ever when Hearts win.....

Do we get much coverage in the Sunday papers whilst being down below?

[JamTarts98]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

Do we get much coverage in the Sunday papers whilst being down below?

Yes, dramatic pictures...the works 🤣

[graygo]

44 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Well, had a few glasses of wine tonight. Feels good to be top and 7 points clear, doesn’t it? 

 

Aye but Stendal though, oh and Berra taking the throw ins so that he can't receive them. 🥴

[Jambo92]

Boyce goal looked clearly onside to me.

[Jambo92]

6 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

Boyce goal looked clearly onside to me.

 

Shambolic decision really

[HMFC01]

17 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

 

 

Shambolic decision really

 

That is a true fact.  Good spot.   Two players keeping him onside.    Shambles.   ☺.    Even his shadow is onside!

[Pasquale for King]

19 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

 

 

Shambolic decision really

So it was, Walker should’ve buried it though anyway. 

[Pasquale for King]

29 minutes ago, JamTarts98 said:

Yes, dramatic pictures...the works 🤣

Wow, might stand and read one for the  first time in years 😆. 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, lost in space said:

Cup final - team did show character against poor celtic team - this was after going 2-0 behind after shocking first half tactics.

Gambled/utilised squad?  How often do you want to utilise Roberts in the future/ Do you think we should use Roberts/Frear/Walker?Henderson regularly in the same team? - no I thought not.

Neilson - as a player, I liked him- very one-footed but gave his all, despite having limited ability. Never forget the tackle (and pen)that won the cup in 2006. 

Your comment of "idiots" for fellow fans who dont follow your devotion to RN, shows your lack of balance. 

Do you have any idea why many fans wanted him away last time?

Do you have any idea why many fans (including me) think he may not be the guy we need now?

 

"True colours" - so tell me, do you think the fans in the stadium would be happy with our play so far?  There would have ben cries of "Neilson must go " already.

 

Neilson must go....already . These fans are crack pots.

 

 

[dookychook]

Best team:

 

gordon

smith, souttar, halkett, kingsley

GMS, irving , haring, gino
boyce, naismith

 

 

bench: walker, halliday

 

need another striker and a centre half

 

[Gizmo]

2 hours ago, lost in space said:

Do you have any idea why many fans wanted him away last time?

That hibs result? Because, otherwise, we'd not had it so good in years. 

[Jambo-Fox]

36 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Do we get much coverage in the Sunday papers whilst being down below?

It’s all about the size of the support / readership!

[hmfc_liam06]

48 minutes ago, JamTarts98 said:

Can you post a link where anyone said anything like this?

 

No one has but let's not kid on that its not what the folk who are unhappy are hinting at. 

 

A 3-1 away win, where we were under complete control for 90 minutes is perfectly acceptable for me.

[JamTarts98]

2 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

No one has but let's not kid on that its not what the folk who are unhappy are hinting at. 

 

A 3-1 away win, where we were under complete control for 90 minutes is perfectly acceptable for me.

People are hinting that we should be playing like Barcelona? Any links for this?

 

What is acceptable standards for you may not be for others.  There has been some really silly comments tonight and this contributes to everyone going round in circles.

[neilnunb]

Sorry if posted already, couldn't be arsed checking.

 

 

 

[pettigrewsstylist]

1 hour ago, jambo mark said:

Do people seriously think we should be knocking it about like Barcelona? Have we all forgot how bad and broken we were last season? How bad our squad was last year?

 

We’re in the championship with a short season - we weren’t able to compete with Hibs/Aberdeen for players in the close season - we had to take risks with educated gambles and shift out deadwood. This is a 3-4 window project to get the squad where we need to be. 

 

Robbie is playing with the hand he’s been dealt, and being pragmatic in making sure we are top flight next year. I don’t care if we get there in style, as long as we get there. There is time for building style and panache next year. From listening to SATF podcast, he wants to play 4-4-2 with a ball winner, ball player,  pacey wide men, a target man, finisher - exactly the teams we’ve always been best with. He gets it/us. He needs time and support. 
 

The way I saw today was Robbie saying to his second string front six (minus Irving) “this is the bottom of the league team, go out and show me your capable of being in my team” - honest answer is I don’t think any were. Couple of backups in Halliday and Walker at best.

This sounds like the same sort of chat that got us where we are today.

[Sub4TiddlerMurray]

3 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Cheers.

 

Good finishes from our players.

 

Their red was harsh.

 

Comical moment was Elliot Frear's attempt to celebrate only for Walker not to hold him as he jumped. Poor from Walker, much like his finishing.

 

...not bad cross to the back post fro Frear tho'. Thought Walker had a decent game TBH

[davemclaren]

16 minutes ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

This sounds like the same sort of chat that got us where we are today.

Yip, chat on here got us relegated. 

[BigAlim]

Robbie haters really scraping at the barrel tonight

[gregzy2k7]

27 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

Sorry if posted already, couldn't be arsed checking.

 

 

 

Thank you 👍

[JamTarts98]

6 minutes ago, BigAlim said:

Robbie haters really scraping at the barrel tonight

Can you post examples please.

[sadj]

1 hour ago, HMFC01 said:

 

That is a true fact.  Good spot.   Two players keeping him onside.    Shambles.   ☺.    Even his shadow is onside!

Thought it looked like 4 but iv a banging migraine from the poor stream today so maybe im seeing double

[HMFC01]

24 minutes ago, sadj said:

Thought it looked like 4 but iv a banging migraine from the poor stream today so maybe im seeing double

 

Yes it could be four at a push, there is three visible, with a head just by boyce.   I went for two easily keeping him on.   Lino playing funny buggers.   

[HMFC01]

1 hour ago, neilnunb said:

Sorry if posted already, couldn't be arsed checking.

 

 

 

 

Good highlights, thank you.   I see roberts got a good looking.   Linked up well as a stand in target man.    Boyce not so much.    Figures roberts gets the flak though. 

 

@Libertarian   there's  good highlights showing how the other team scored.    Looks like walker with an error.    Should have layed it to ginnelly.   Perhaps Halkett could have cleared it better as well.